Superintendent Presents 2012-13 School Budget

Thursday night, Superintendent Jerome Belair presented his recommended budget for the 2012-13 school year to the Board of Education, which brings back some programs and eliminates two teaching positions based on enrollment.

Belair’s overall budget is $43.37 million, up 1.06 percent from this year’s $42.91 million spending plan. The budget is nearly $850,000 below , although the budget does not fully include one key factor.

“We have a real wildcard here, and that wildcard is our health insurance,” Belair said.

Belair budgeted a flat allocation for health insurance, although he admits the number will rise. The true cost of health insurance for next year will be learned in the middle of February, he said.

If the health insurance cost increase is less than $850,000, thereby keeping the total budget below the $44.2 million recommendation by the Long Range Fiscal Planning Committee, the Board of Education can either choose to add more programs or come in under the recommendation, Belair said. If health insurance costs increase more than $850,000, than the Board will have to find a way to rework the budget, he said.

For comparison, , forcing the Board of Education to lay off teachers and cut programs. The board will hold a special meeting in early March once the health care cost for next year is known to make a decision on the budget, Belair said.

Highlights Of Proposal

Belair’s proposed budget, which now has to be approved by the Board of Education, cuts in some areas because of decreased enrollment and brings back some programs. Some highlights:

Two Teaching Positions Cut: Enrollment is down 78 students from last year, allowing Belair to cut two teaching positions in the elementary schools through attrition “without affecting class sizes.”

TAG Program Back: Belair brought back the middle school TAG program during the school day. Currently, , part of last spring’s budget cuts.

New Literacy Specialist: Also possible because of decreased enrollment, Belair proposed turning one teacher into a literacy specialist for the middle school and the high school.

More Technology Education: Yet another move possible because of decreased enrollment, Belair managed to have a teacher spend more time working on technology education.

Still No Freshman Sports: , remain cut, Belair said. Adding freshman sports would cost roughly $26,000, or a $1.88 tax increase for the year to the average taxpayer, according to Waterford Finance Director Rudie Beers.

"That will be a decision by the (Board of Education)," Belair said on whether to bring back freshman sports.